Red wine-braised short ribs

By lisalang

Ingredients

• 5 pounds bone-in English-style short ribs, meat and bones separated
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped medium
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped medium
• 1 celery rib, chopped medium
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Arrange beef bones in a dish and microwave (in batches, if microwave is small) until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.
Dry short ribs with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of short ribs well on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and remaining short ribs; transfer to slow cooker.
Add onions, carrot, celery, tomato paste, and thyme to fat in skillet and cook over medium-high heat until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine and vinegar, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Bring to simmer and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.
Stir broth and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.
Transfer short ribs to serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Strain braising liquid, discarding solids, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley. Spoon 1 cup sauce over short ribs and serve with remaining sauce.
Tips
Separating the meat from the bones-and "roasting" the bones in a surprising way-yields the most flavorful dish. To remove the meat from the bones, insert a knife between the rib and meat, staying as close to the bone as possible, and saw the meat off the bone. Before adding the bones to the slow cooker, microwave them for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serving Size
Cooking time: 9 to 11 hours on low; 5 to 7 hours on high